OP-Pohjola signs application development and maintenance Agreements with Accenture and CGI

HELSINKI, FINLAND--(Marketwired - Oct. 1, 2013) - OP-Pohjola announced that it has signed application development and maintenance agreements with CGI (NYSE:GIB) (TSX:GIB.A) and Accenture. OP-Pohjola's information and communications technology (ICT) services transformation plan and related letters of intent signed with Accenture and CGI were announced on September 2, 2013.

The OP-Pohjola ICT services transformation plan is a continuation of the efficiency-enhancement program launched within OP-Pohjola Group Central Cooperative Consolidated last autumn and form an important part of the efforts to improve the group's future competitiveness.

Approximately 275 application development and maintenance employees from OP Services Ltd, which provides services to the group, will transfer to a joint venture formed between OP-Pohjola and Accenture under comparable employment terms and conditions. Correspondingly, 220 application development and maintenance employees from OP Services Ltd will transfer to a joint venture formed between OP-Pohjola and CGI under comparable employment terms and conditions. Accenture and CGI will have operating responsibility for the joint ventures starting November 1, 2013.

OP-Pohjola Group in brief

OP-Pohjola Group is Finland's leading financial services group providing a unique range of banking, investment and insurance services. The Group's mission is to promote the sustainable prosperity, well-being and security of its owner-members, customers and operating regions through its local presence. Its objective is to offer the best and most versatile package of loyal customer benefits on the market. OP-Pohjola Group consists of some 200 member cooperative banks and the Group's central institution, OP-Pohjola Group Central Cooperative, with its subsidiaries and closely-related companies, the largest of which is the listed company Pohjola Bank plc. The Group has a staff of 13,000. OP-Pohjola Group posted earnings before tax of EUR 601 million in 2012 and had total assets of EUR 99.8 billion on 31 December 2012. The Group has over four million customers.

About CGI

Founded in 1976, CGI Group Inc. is the fifth largest independent information technology and business process services firm in the world. Approximately 69,000 professionals serve thousands of global clients from offices and delivery centers across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, leveraging a comprehensive portfolio of services including high-end business and IT consulting, systems integration, application development and maintenance, infrastructure management as well as a wide range of proprietary solutions. With annualized revenue in excess of C$10 billion and an order backlog exceeding C$18 billion, CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB).Website: www.cgi.com.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with approximately 275,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$28.6 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2013. Its home page is www.accenture.com.